One Single Kiss
by Phayte
Summary: What if instead of a hug, Ibara actually kissed Ryoko? (based on Vol.9 of the Tenchi Muyo manga series)


**Disclaimer** ~sigh~ ugh, these get boring after a while but no, I do not own Tenchi Muyo or any of the characters thereof, please don't sue, I don't have that much anyway except my beanie babies, you could try for those but that's about it.....uh, yeah, on to the story!!  
  
~~~What if instead of a hug, Ibara actually kissed Ryoko? (based on Vol.9 of the Tenchi Muyo manga series)  
  
"Here you are and I still feel for you. Stay with me, I want you to stay." Ibara had just gone through the recounting of what had happened on this nameless planet eight-hundred years ago, now, he held Ryoko, begging her not to leave him again.  
  
"Ibara..." Ryoko turned her head away, unable to look into his eyes anymore, she still had feelings for Tenchi, but looking into Ibara's eyes, Ryoko felt something new, possibly something greater, it was almost uncomfortable. When she turned to look at him again, Ibara's face was centimeters from her own, Ryoko turned several shades of red as she felt his breath upon her mouth. Second by second, he leaned in closer until his lips found hers and they embraced in a soft kiss. Ryoko went stiff, she couldn't believe this was happening, she could feel Ibara's true emotion coming throught that kiss, but, what could she return, she was still in love with Tenchi, but, this new feeling, sure, Ibara LOOKED somewhat like Tenchi, but the emotion didn't feel the same. Before she had a chance to react, Ibara pulled back and looked at her lovingly, with a warm smile on his face. Somewhat dazed, Ryoko just stood looking into his eyes, until her keen hearing picked up footsteps, running away. She turned her head and only glimpsed the quickly disappearing around a bolder.  
  
"Tenchi..." Ryoko whispered.  
  
Seeing Ryoko's saddened expression, Ibara decided it was time to return to Ryoko's family, he just had to accept that Ryoko's heart was not his. But, maybe, if he could prove that Tenchi's heart was not Ryoko's she may stay with him. Sure it was a little low, but, ever since she held him so close eight-hundred years ago, Ibara couldn't get Ryoko off his mind, he wanted to do the same for her, to hold her close and make her past disappear, so she was happy, with him, yes, he would have Ryoko, one way or another. "Maybe we should return, I'm sure your family is worried."  
  
Ryoko turned to him and nodded, and they both set off back to where they had left the rest of the gang. Upon reaching them, Ibara immediately noticed Tenchi, standing back, away from everyone as Washu and Ayeka discussed the Nameless Tree. "Lord Tenchi!"  
  
Tenchi turned his head, not wanting to answer the summons. Reluctantly, he turned his head and caught the worried gaze of Ryoko, she knew he had seen, but the question was, was she going to stay here, or go back home? Eventually, Tenchi turned to Ibara and addressed him, "Yes?"  
  
Ibara raised his staff "Could I have a bout with you?"  
  
Tenchi looked utterly confused, why would Ibara want to duel with him, it's obvious Ryoko had chosen to stay here, so what's not settled, yet once again, he caught her gaze and something about it told him there was something not resolved here. So, Tenchi stepped up to the challenge, pulling out the hilt of the Tenchi-ken.  
  
The duel raged on until Ibara caught Tenchi totally off guard, "Why young prince, a woman of such rare value, why do you make her wait, WHY?"  
  
Tenchi was stopped in his tracks, Ryoko had opened her heart to him, and he had done nothing to return it. As a matter of fact, all the girls had opened their hearts, and all he could do for them is be indecisive. For so long, he had thought he was avoiding hurting any of them, but now, he realized he was doing nothing but hurting them by delaying that hurt. It was all a little confusing, but Tenchi realized he had to do something, or else risk loosing all of them.  
  
Ibara was ready to capitalize on Tenchi's delay but was stopped when he felt a distortion in the planet's atmosphere. Of course, Washu was already on top of it. Everyone looked to the sky to see, to their dread, the Mikamo floating above their heads.  
  
Ryoko was disgusted, did they really have to come NOW? She was already having a bad enough day as is, now this? Blindly, she tried attacking the ship, each time failing. In the mean time, Tenchi was protecting the rest of the family with his Light Hawk Wings. Using this distraction, Yataka went after the Nameless Tree, unfortunately, Ibara blocked his path. Valiently, the battle raged on, the past moment temporarily forgotten. Using a false front, Mikamo kidnapped Ayeka and held her prisoner, as ransom for the royal tree. Trusting a vison given her by the tree, Ryoko rescued Ayeka and quickly reverted back into their old ways of fighting over the simplest of things regardless of the situation. Finally ready to end the battle, Tenchi summoned his Light Hawk Armor, and along with Ryoko and her gems, the now super-powered wings destroyed Yataka and Mikamo.  
  
Ibara glanced at the duo sitting on the ground after their power had dimmed, "So, that is Lord Tenchi's true power..." he could now honestly admit that he admired Tenchi, for his compassion and abilities, no wonder Ryoko loved him so. Ibara slowly walked over to Ryoko, laid his hand on her shoulder, and gestured toward the tree.  
  
Realizing what he was referring too, Ryoko nodded and slowly walked toward the Nameless Tree. She reached out her hand but pulled it away, 'What's the matter, am I afraid to find out the truth after all this?' She felt a hand on her shoulder and she turned around "Tenchi?"  
  
"Go on Ryoko."  
  
Little Sasami smiled her brightest, "Yeah, chin up Ryoko! It's ok!  
  
To her surprise, Ayeka even stepped up to encourage her, "Even if you remember everything, what have you got to lose?"  
  
Ryoko nodded, renewed with greater courage, she stepped up and put her hand to the tree. Instantly, memories came back to her, back to when she had first touched the tree eight-hundred years ago. The vision was that of when she first saw Tenchi grieving for the lose of his mother, it then changed to what had happened after that first vision, she had erased her memories, unable to handle the emotions at the time, for she was still a puppet of Kagato.  
  
When she awoke, the first thing she saw was Ibara's shining face looking over her. She smiled and relayed to everyone what she saw. Tenchi offered his hand and helped Ryoko to stand. She hugged him tightly and kissed him the same way Ibara and her had kissed earlier.  
  
Ayeka made a move to rip Ryoko to pieces but before she was able to close the gap between them, Ryoko broke the kiss. Tenchi was shocked, unable to move or speak. Ryoko touched her fingers to her lips and turned to Ibara who now stood back away from them.  
  
He had seen the kiss the same way Tenchi had witnessed theirs, but Ibara did not run. He was going to respect Ryoko's decision, it was now he realized it was never he who could keep Ryoko here, it was not Tenchi who could make her go, it was Ryoko who could make Ryoko stay or go, and now it seemed as if she would go. But he would not be sad, because he would always have that memory of when she held him so close, and the kiss, they would always have that. Ibara smiled and turned to leave, until Ryoko called out to him.  
  
"I had fallen in love with Tenchi first, but, times, along with feelings, change." She walked over to Ibara and smiled, then turned to everyone else, "I leave Ryo-ohki to you Sasami, she would be sad without you. And Tenchi, never frown, it doesn't suit you." Ryoko smiled, "I want to stay."  
  
Ayeka stepped forward, unable to believe what she had heard, "R-Ryoko, are you sure?"  
  
She nodded, a tear slipping down her cheek, "Yes, I will miss you all, but, you just have to move on." She silenced any more objections, "Now I know it'll be boring without me constantly around but you'll just have to deal. Oh, and princess, take care of Tenchi and, do us all a favor and don't get fat ok?"  
  
Ayeka started toward her, ready to put her in her place, but instead, stopped, a single tear falling down her face, she nodded, "Deal, just don't destroy the galaxy or I will have to disregard my side of this bargain."  
  
Ryoko nodded and Tenchi walked forward, he wanted to scream, to destroy Ibara, kidnap Ryoko and take them both the farthest corner of the universe so they could live alone, just them and no one to take the other away, but it wasn't his choice, instead, he settled with a hug, a slight kiss and a nod. Without another word, but many tears, the family boared Ryo-ohki and left behind Ryoko and a very speechless Ibara.  
  
Onboard the Ryo-ohki, Ayeka walked over to Tenchi, who was looking out the window at the quickly disappearing planet. "You did love her didn't you?"  
  
Without a word, Tenchi nodded, "But, loving is letting go, at least that's what grandpa always tells me."  
  
Ayeka smiled sadly. She couldn't stand to see Tenchi like this, she decided to be a little bit bold, hopefully it would work. She stood on her tip-toes and kissed Tenchi on the cheek.  
  
Tenchi didn't appear to acknowledge the act, only stared out the window, two tears fell unknown from his eyes. Ayeka decided to leave him to mourn the loss of his love.  
  
"Ayeka?"  
  
She turned to look at Tenchi's back, "Thank you."  
  
She nodded and walked off back to her sister and Washu.  
  
After the ship had left orbit, Ibara looked down at Ryoko, who was still gazing at the sky. Suddenly struck with immeasurable happiness, he lifted Ryoko up in the air and spun her around. She laughed through her tears and looked down at Ibara. He gently brought her down and kissed her passionately on the lips. Breaking the kiss, he looked at her then asked, "Are you sure about this?"  
  
Ryoko was silent for a long time, then looked up at him and nodded, "With me out of the way, maybe some of their problems can be solved." She smiled at Ibara then kissed him again. Silently, the Nameless Tree wrapped it's glowing aura around the couple and they disappeared into the vastness of the universe.  
  
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Author's Notes: Ok, so I know I totally REEK at battle scenes but that wasn't what I wanted the fic to say anyway. I mainly wanted to focus on the relationship between Ryoko, Ibara, and Tenchi. So, please don't flame me for that cause I already know I did REALLY bad. As for the pairing, well, I'm so all for the whole Tenchi/Ryoko mix as you have seen in my other fanfics but I havan't seen any fanfiction that actually paired Ryoko and Ibara so I thought it'd be interesting to see people's insight on it. Who knows, maybe I could start a trend, yeah right, anyway, thanks for reading and please, if you are going to flame, make it nice or just don't read my fanfics ok? You are entitled to your opinion, just make it constructive critiscm please and thanks in advance! Oh, and to clarify, in the end, Ibara and Ryoko DON'T die....I just thought it'd be a cool ending...Well, I think that's enough for now, check out my other fics and email me what you think!!  
  
~*~CELESTYL 


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